TAT My new tattoo ^^ [pics... mild blood warning]

This is the pic I took after I took off the bandage and washed it off. Still a bit red from the tape he used to keep the cellophane on.

Before I took the bandages off (only posted because it's much clearer):

Sorry about the blood :] I thought it was cool.

Story:

I know people always say impulse tattoos are bad. However...

This was about two weeks ago. Two days prior, I had gone to the doctor, and I found out, to make a long story short, that I will probably never play the guitar again, due to an assault committed on me a little over a year ago. I haven't recovered properly and if I do indeed play again, it will be after a long and arduous surgical process (multiple surgeries).

Music is absolutely my life, and I was heartbroken by this.

In a Klonopin-induced nap after a day of being depressed, I had a dream where I got a treble clef tattooed to my body. Upon awakening, the idea intrigued me; a permenant manifestation of my undying love for music, something no one can take away.

And so, I found a reputable place, chose the design I wanted, and had at it.

I was not afraid at all and didn't even really think about pain or the fact that I hate needles until I was sitting in the chair with the man about to dig into me. I'd describe it best as dragging a safety pin across your skin. Some parts hurt more than other parts, I don't know which parts these were. I just know he would dig further in, and then wipe away the generous amounts of blood pouring out.

Well, it hurt, annoyingly, not horribly. I didn't need a break. There were only a few moments of clenched jaws and closed eyes. My boyfriend was sitting with me, playing Tetris on his Nintendo DS. Upon the first draw of the needle, I said "give me Tetris". So, with my chin to my chest (upon the instruction of the tattoer) I played Tetris furiously and trumped his high score. Twice. Go me.

The dots were because I felt the clef itself, while beautiful, required slight decoration.

The stars? Because the tattoo I had been planning on getting (for ages, that I'm waiting for the money for, because it will be huge and incredibly complicated) was going to be a spacescape, with nebulae and planets and stars stars stars. I love space and I'm fascinated by it; so you understand.

The location: Mainly, I wanted to be able to hide it if I wanted to, for a professional job (I'm going into Biology and will probably spend the rest of my life in labcoats). It's easily hidden by hair, but easily shown by ponytails and tanktops. It seems ideal.

Now I can create my spacescape, the universe, all around it, and add upon it later, when I choose, to show the whole universe and life and energy revolving around music :] Such is my plan, but this is not happening for quite some time. It's a future plan.

I went to get groceries after, with the cellophane still on and all the blood coming out of my neck, and some man dressed in all black asked if he could take pictures of the blood, because he thought blood was sexy. I guess some crazy bleeding girl carrying green onions and bok choi is sexy. Whatever.

Anyway, this has been my first tattoo, and I thought I'd tell OT about it.

Also a question: The red in the corner of one star is slightly lighter and could have been hidden from the tattoo artist by all the blood (I bled so much!). How much would it cost to go back to the same place and say "hey, can you fill that in for me?"? Do people generally charge for this? It's only very slightly light in one corner, I can't see it, but the boyfriend insists it's there.

Also, it's incredibly frustrating getting a tattoo on a place you can't properly look at, I have to twist and do insane things on my counter to be able to see even the side. FRUSTRATION!

Anyway I'm done rambling. Hope you enjoyed.

Cliffs: I got inked, impulses aren't always bad, music is life <3

Misc information: Work done at Gold Rush in Costa Mesa, CA. Cost was $180 ($40 higher than the estimate I was given -_-) and I tipped him $20. It is fully healed at this point. I still love it, and show it off all the time. I've gotten two compliments so far.

I'm also surprised my boyfriend didn't give me more grief for it. I've converted him; when we met he said that tattoos and piercings are an indication of promiscuity and trashiness (his exact words were "piercings are sex acts!" maybe tongue... but that's about it...)and I basically read him the riot act. He's straightened out now and such blasphemy has quit. He doesn't mind it at all... at least, so he claims.

your artist shouldn't charge on a touch up that small. most reputablt guys will do it to keep you happy and loyal.

I think it's cute. Just I hope you thought it through about your future as in needing to maybe cover it laster for a job or something.... or your wedding gown if that's in your future. SOme people don't think of that and then go crazy about it later..

Click to expand...

Hair and shirts that aren't tank tops will generally cover it, from the experimentation I have done.

As for a wedding gown, I wouldn't really mind having it out. Music is a part of me, after all, as is this tattoo

I thought about the job thing, which is why I ended up with the location I did. I can easily keep my hair down (I love having long hair and usually have it down anyway) which covers it.

At the very last desperation point, there is makeup.

But yeah. For all of the above points, I believe it's satisfactory for what I want to achieve.

It looks great! I've actually been thinking about getting a music themed tattoo some time too. Similar to you music is my life (I'm a music therapist student). Congrats on taking the plunge and doing it!